“You are a very nasty man to crush my hopes.”
He struggled not to grin. “Aye, I am,” he agreed, his gaze moving out over the room. It came to rest somewhere on the massive, long table against the north wall. “There is Dorset. We must go to him.”
Annavieve’s good humor faded as he led her around the outskirts of the room, heading for Dorset’s table. They were nearly to it when someone was suddenly in their path; both Annavieve and Kevin looked to see that Vietta had intercepted them.
“My lady!” she exclaimed. “Are you well? I was so worried when you ran away earlier!”
Annavieve gazed at the woman she now knew to be her twin sister. She thought back to the moment she had met Vietta and how friendly she had been. She had liked her right away and they had bonded over laughter and gossip. As she looked into the eyes of the woman she had once shared a womb with, she couldn’t truly be angry with her because their mother had chosen to keep her whilst sending Annavieve to the king. Vietta had no control over that. Moreover, Vietta had been truly kind to her. Annavieve naturally softened towards the woman.
“I am so sorry that I left as abruptly as I did,” she said. “I am afraid that all of this travel has upset my… my belly. When it strikes, it strikes swiftly.”
Vietta was visibly relieved. “Then it was nothing I said?” she asked. “I feared that I had offended you.”
Annavieve shook her head. “Not to worry,” she said, taking the woman’s arm and turning her back towards the table. “It looks as if this will be a marvelous party this evening. Where is your party sitting?”
Vietta was very companionable with her, holding on to her hand as she gestured to the table in front of her. “We are here,” she said, peering over at the other table where Victor and Salisbury were seated. “I am sorry you are sitting so far away. I had hoped we would be able to sit together.”
Annavieve nodded. “I had hoped so, too,” she said, suddenly realizing that Vietta’s gaze had fallen upon Kevin, standing next to her. She didn’t like the way the woman was looking at him, rather hungrily. The jealousy claws began to form again but she maintained a polite manner. “You have not yet met Sir Kevin Hage. Sir Kevin, this is Lady Vietta de Lohr.”
Kevin had his first real look at the woman who was Annavieve’s sister. She had dark hair and gray eyes, and was tall like Annavieve, but that was where the resemblance ended. They didn’t look particularly alike and, as far as he was concerned, Annavieve was the beauty of the family. He bowed politely to Vietta.
“My lady,” he said. “It is an honor to meet you.”
Vietta was obviously taken with the big, handsome knight. “And you, my lord,” she said, dipping into a practiced curtsy. “I was able to see some of your skill in the contest today. You are quite talented.”
Kevin nodded again, out of courtesy to her compliment. “Thank you, my lady,” he said. Before she could continue the conversation, he spoke to Annavieve. “Your husband will be waiting, my lady. We must not keep him waiting.”
Annavieve was disappointed to have to leave Vietta while Vietta was disappointed that Kevin was leaving. Annavieve smiled wanly at her friend, her sister.
“I will ask permission to return and sit with you,” she said, waving as Kevin pulled her away. “I will see you soon.”
Vietta waved in return, crestfallen that Kevin had moved away but also disappointed that Annavieve had been forced to go as well. Annavieve tore her focus from Vietta as Kevin directed her closer to Victor’s table, eyeing the duke as he sat in animated conversation with Salisbury. As Annavieve and Kevin came upon Victor and William, Kevin cleared his throat to catch their attention.
“My lords,” he said. “I have brought the duchess.”
William smiled at Annavieve as Victor barely gave her a glance. He continued in his conversation with William, or at least he was trying to, but William was doing the polite thing by keeping his attention on Annavieve. When he realized that Victor was simply going to let the woman stand there, he interrupted his chatter.
“Where would you like your wife to sit, Victor?” he asked deliberately. “Or would you simply rather have her stand there all night?”
An expression of displeasure rippled across Victor’s face. He managed to turn to look at Annavieve, although it was forced. He noticed what she was wearing.
“Are those some of the new clothes you purchased in Staines?” he asked.
Kevin nodded. “This was all part of it, my lord.”
Victor lifted his eyebrows, a moderately approving gesture. “She may sit on my right.”
It was an imperious directive, as if he was granting a great favor. He couldn’t even talk directly to her, speaking as if she wasn’t standing in front of him. Silently, Kevin took Annavieve around the table and pulled the sturdy wooden chair out for her next to Victor, indicating for her to sit. She did, trying not tolook at him anxiously, hoping he would not leave her. Kevin’s expression was impassive as he gazed in return.
“Will that be all, my lord?” he asked Victor.
Victor glanced at him. “In a moment,” he said. Now, his attention was shifting from William to Kevin. “I am not entirely sure I have told you, Hage, but our plans for competing at the tournament and then continuing on to Ilchester Castle have changed. William and I have been discussing returning Roger home for burial. William will be returning his son tomorrow and we will be going with him.”
Through the haze of smoke and the noise from the musicians above, Kevin listened to his liege with respect, all the while thinking that his plans were quite different from the duke’s.
Mayhap that is what you will do, but I will not be part of your plans.
“Nay, you did not tell me, my lord,” Kevin said, “but I have spent very little time with you today and you have not been afforded the opportunity to tell me. However, de Bretagne did mention something about the plans in general so I am aware.”
